Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 DPLL drivers/dpll/dpll_core.c dpll_device_ops null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5. This affects the function dpll_device_ops of the file drivers/dpll/dpll_core.c of the component DPLL. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-90144. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. No exploit exists. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5. This issue affects the function dpll_device_ops of the file drivers/dpll/dpll_core.c of the component DPLL. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dpll: fix NULL deref in dpll_device_ops() during teardown race When the last owner of a dpll device unregisters while a foreign driver still holds a pin on it via dpll_pin_on_pin_register(), the dpll object stays alive with an empty registration list. A pin notification queued before the unregister (e.g. ice reacting to zl3073x_i2c removal) then walks pin->dpll_refs into dpll_device_ops(), which trips the WARN_ON and dereferences the missing registration. dpll_lock cannot help because the notification work was queued before the unregistering driver took the lock. Treat the empty registration list as a legitimate transient state. Make dpll_priv() and dpll_device_ops() return NULL in that case and make every pin netlink path that resolves a device from a pin skip such dplls. dpll_cmd_pin_get_one() picks a ref with a live registration and returns -ENODEV when there is none, the pin dumpit skips such a pin instead of aborting the dump, dpll_msg_add_pin_dplls() and the frequency, esync, reference sync and phase adjust set paths skip dead refs, and dpll_pin_parent_device_set() validates the parent with dpll_device_get_by_id(). dpll_pin_register() is the last caller that dereferenced the device ops without a check, so move its frequency monitor validation under dpll_lock and tolerate a missing registration there as well. The empty registration list is equivalent to a cleared DPLL_REGISTERED mark, both transitions happen under dpll_lock in dpll_device_register() and dpll_device_unregister(). A pin notification for a pin whose dplls are all gone is now dropped with -ENODEV instead of crashing, all callers in the core ignore that return value. WARNING: drivers/dpll/dpll_core.c:1092 at dpll_device_ops+0x24/0x40, CPU#83: kworker/u576:3/23471 Modules linked in: ... ice ... zl3073x_i2c(-) ... zl3073x ... Workqueue: ice_dpll_wq ice_dpll_pin_notify_work [ice] RIP: 0010:dpll_device_ops+0x24/0x40 Call Trace: <TASK> dpll_cmd_pin_get_one+0x336/0x520 dpll_pin_event_send+0x82/0x140 dpll_pin_on_pin_unregister+0xbb/0x160 ice_dpll_pin_notify_work+0x1bc/0x1f0 [ice] process_one_work+0x19e/0x370 worker_thread+0x1a6/0x310 kthread+0xe4/0x120 ret_from_fork+0x1a1/0x270 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000010 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-90144 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026).

Upgrading to version 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch fdbf04e3e01a872d0ef2149f846f1a3e3cb54f5b/33f016b23a219fe034213849b51436b8e79df251 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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